Season Summary: 1972

The unpredictable start to this new decade continued as the 1972 season saw current coach Max Papley come back out of retirement to lead his troops on and off the field once again. There was no doubt that Papley was still severely hindered by his current injury issues but battled on to contribute on the field for his club.

Papley's on-field exploits were undoubtedly the key factor in the club's ability yet again to turn around the form of their previous season. The club recorded a fine win in the last home and away game of the season against ladder leaders Oakleigh to secure a spot in the finals, finishing with an 11-7 record before going on to beat Preston in the semi-final. The season then came to an unfortunate end in the preliminary final falling well short of Dandenong.

After coming out of retirement at the beginning of the season, captain/coach Max Papley decided it was time for both him and the club to head in new directions. Papley played 54 games and kicked 108 goals for Williamstown.